CULTIVATING
LEADERSHIP THROUGH
SERVICE
How and why it works!
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1) Understanding the differences between admin-driven and student-led
programs
2) Identifying the benefits of student-led initiatives
3) Getting a grasp on how to transition
Who’s running the show?
Administrator-driven programs
Student-driven programs
◦ Your idea
◦ Students bring ideas forth
◦ You plan it
◦ You bring them in and delegate tasks
◦ You promote it
◦ Joint promotion
◦ You recruit (often beg) people to sign up
◦ People come to you
◦ You execute it
◦ Joint execution- you delegate tasks
◦ You review it- 1-dimensional analysis
◦ You review it together, for a 2-dimensional
perspective
◦ You move on to the next program, demanding
your attention
◦ Continuity is possible!
Challenges of each
Administrator-driven programs
Student-driven programs
◦ You are doing all the work! Your energy will
wear thin.
◦ Can be hard to begin- ideas are not always
realistic and/or actionable
◦ Promotion is hard
◦ More opinions can lead to disagreement
◦ We don’t always speak the same language (Twitter,
etc.).
◦ Fewer ideas
◦ We get disconnected from the their experience as a
young adult, at a certain point.
◦ Reliability of team members for follow-thru
◦ Self-doubt as students, working with peers
Strengths of each
Administrator-driven programs
◦ We have experience and insight; we know what is
reasonable and what is not
◦ We have resources and connections
◦ We have institutional knowledge and history
◦ We have status on campus- a platform on which
to stand
Student-driven programs
◦ We have rapport with students as peers
◦ We think outside the box
◦ We have enthusiasm every time!
◦ We have cultural knowledge
◦ What ideas might be of interest
◦ How to communicate those ideas effectively
The ideal balance
◦ It is always best to have student input- it keeps our programs relevant
◦ It is beneficial to the administration to share responsibilities
◦ It is beneficial to students to have responsibilities and be accountable to the institution and partner agencyfor duration of program AND in the long run
◦ It is beneficial to student body to see peers modeling social responsibility- creates culture of service
◦ The best results come from collaborative relationship with student leaders- benefit to program!
Getting there
o Define responsibilities for students and admins
o Give individual attention to student leaders to develop their skills and game plan
o Once logistics of project are set, turn over control of group to student leaders, but stay close by for
support
o Allow all students to take a piece of the pie- everyone contributes
Why service?
Leadership skills can be developed in a multitude of applications- academics, student activities, fine arts- it is
just a matter of taking on responsibility. Service awakens that which makes us most human- compassion. When
we reach students in the service of others, we are nurturing something that cannot be taught- rather, it is
caught.
◦ Community service is relevant to every major and every profession
◦ Effective service comes from engaged volunteers
◦ Effective leaders engage in meaningful service
ANATOMY OF A
STUDENT LEADER
What are we looking for?
◦ Ethical decision-making
◦ Reliability and accountability
◦ Availability
◦ Communication skills
◦ Internal motivation to succeed
◦ Interest in cause
◦ Passion for greater good
◦ Commitment to the college/university
How can we develop these qualities in
students?
◦ By holding them to a higher standard- people “rise to the occasion” when you “raise the bar”
◦ By paying attention to their skills and learning style- maximize their individual strengths to get the highest
return
◦ By design- do not allow people to be invisible!
◦ Utilize a variety of activities to reveal what each person has to contribute to the group
◦ Remember- some of these are inherent traits that aren’t easily taught or learned, but they can be inspired
◦ Internal motivation to succeed
◦ Interest in cause
◦ Passion for greater good
ANATOMY OF A
SUCCESSFUL STUDENTLED INITIATIVE
Ongoing and Episodic
Critical components
◦ Team-building opportunities
◦ New experiences
◦ Background knowledge on partner agency
◦ Background knowledge on location, demographics, politics, and culture
◦ Challenges to overcome as a group
◦ Community exposure
◦ Sense of purpose and efficacy
◦ Fun!
Ongoing Programs
Alternative Spring Break
◦ Ongoing immersion program- 1 week (during Spring Break)
◦ Partner with Habitat for Humanity in different locations
◦ Student group is selected through application process
◦ Weekly meetings from November- March
◦ Teambuilding activities, icebreakers, fundraisers
◦ Optional class
Episodic Programs
Midnight Run
◦ Episodic, series program
◦ Partners with Midnight Run Organization
◦ Organized through Rotaract Club
◦ Club meets weekly, event takes place monthly
◦ Clothing drives supply program
◦ Students self-select into club and for each individual event
HOW ARE WE
ADDRESSING THE
CRITICAL COMPONENTS
FOR SUCCESS?
Teambuilding
Ongoing- ASB
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Weekly meetings with group
Ice breakers at every meeting
Journal buddies
Fundraising
Meal prep
Reflections
Group activities
Episodic- Midnight Run
◦ Weekly meetings for Rotaract
◦ Ice breakers (Happy Quarters)
◦ Fundraising
◦ Collecting supplies
◦ Meal prep
◦ Group activities
Opportunity for student leadership- put student leaders in charge of icebreakers and group activities; teambuilding brings
everyone to the table!
New Experiences
Ongoing- ASB
◦ Visiting new places
◦ Changing up the sites
◦ Taking advantage of time spent away from
campus
◦ Site-seeing
Episodic- Midnight Run
◦ New participants every time
◦ Different stops every time
◦ Different consumers every time
◦ Focus on different supplies every time
Opportunity for student leadership- use student input when selecting service sites; when it is new for the admin, too, there is a
greater sense of partnership versus leadership
Background knowledge of partner agency
Ongoing- ASB
Episodic- Midnight Run
◦ Information sessions for program
◦ Rotaract Club advocates
◦ HFH Campus Chapter
◦ Club fairs
◦ ASB review program
◦ Consumer representatives to Midnight Run
Organization are present on Runs
◦ Print materials
◦ Group discussion
Opportunity for student leadership- have student leaders help design and present materials
Background knowledge of location,
demographics, culture, politics
Ongoing- ASB
Episodic- Midnight Run
◦ Students responsible for group discussion during
team meetings
◦ Students responsible for group discussion during
club meetings
◦ Conducting research prior to meetings
◦ Coursework (where applicable)
◦ Visiting sites of historical, cultural, or political
significance
◦ Discussion with consumers on Runs
◦ *local culture
◦ Discussion with locals and consumers on trip
Opportunity for student leadership- have students do independent research, and student leaders facilitate discussion
Challenges to overcome as a group
Ongoing- ASB
Episodic- Midnight Run
◦ Fundraising
◦ Fundraising
◦ Travel
◦ Collecting supplies
◦ Meal preparation
◦ Meals preparation
◦ Restricted technology
◦ Student participation
◦ $5 dinner
◦ Reflection activities
◦ Construction
Opportunity for student leadership- make students responsible for their own fundraising; divide up various preparatory
tasks into teams; make students responsible for designing reflections!
Community exposure
Ongoing- ASB
◦ Interaction with HFH affiliate
Episodic- Midnight Run
◦ Interaction with homeless population on Run
◦ Interaction with homeowners
◦ Interaction with host church and congregation
Opportunity for student leadership- students are in direct service, so they must interact with others; discuss questions
beforehand, so students are prepared to talk to different people
Sense of purpose and efficacy
Ongoing- ASB
◦ Discussion during group meetings
Episodic- Midnight Run
◦ Of community needs
◦ Discussion during club meetings, pre and post
Run
◦ Of HFH mission
◦ Direct service
◦ Of Dominican mission
◦ Instant gratification
◦ Of their own power
◦ Reflection activities
◦ Opportunities for continuity
◦ Direct service
◦ Opportunities for continuity
Opportunity for student leadership- students are responsible for contributing to prep meetings, reflections, and actual service!
Fun!
Ongoing- ASB
Episodic- Midnight Run
◦ Teambuilding
◦ Teambuilding
◦ Seeing new things
◦ Seeing new things
◦ Meeting new people
◦ Meeting new people
◦ Learning new skills
◦ Restricting technology
Opportunity for student leadership- they bring the fun! It is easy to have fun when you feel good about what you are doing
and who you are with. Having fun with others builds self-esteem, which begins the process over!
WRAPPING UP
Final thoughts
◦ Young adults are often looking for a sense of belonging. Volunteering with a group builds a sense of
community, which everyone belongs to.
◦ Doing good, fulfilling work makes people feel better about themselves and what they can contribute to our
world. These are the people that we look up to!
◦ We are nurturing compassion which can be applied to any discipline for the improvement of society; we are
just getting them warmed up!
◦ Quote from 2014 graduate:
“…I knew from then on I had to always volunteer, because it was nourishment to my soul. Outreach means
lending a hand to lift up. When we volunteer, we are a symbol of God’s love, and that should not be taken
lightly…I believe I became a more compassionate person due to volunteering, and I have a strong sense of self
due to being an RA…” ~ Vaughna Jarvis
QUESTIONS?